Tiger Geist

A generic heading for a generic victory.  Note to the rest of the major league teams:  Don’t throw a left handed pitcher who can’t hit 90 mph and struggles with control.  DETROIT WILL EAT HIM ALIVE.  Seattle threw someone who wasn’t their top two pitchers, Detroit countered with someone who wasn’t their top two pitchers, and Detroit held on for what should have been an easy victory.  A win is a win.

If Detroit wins the series and beats either Hernandez or Washburn, it would be a good showing.  A series victory at home against a playoff contender — thats what you look for.  It would have been better to win one of those games in New York, but in reality, Detroit is chasing one thing and one thing only:  90 wins.  Not the White Sox, not the Twins, 90 wins.  That’s a .577 win rate for the rest of the year.

The New York series proved Detroit’s starting pitching can pitch with anyone and shorten a game.  You have to be cautious, however, since Rodney was not needed in the series.  The playoffs always seem to be close games with scrutiny on the bullpen.  Rodney vs Mariano Rivera?

Interesting rundown of facts and links:

• 2 — otherwise known as the number of home runs hit in the last calendar year by Carlos Guillen.  This is Detroit’s hot new bat?
• 8 — number of games the Tigers are now back in the wild-card standings.  Its the division or bust at this point.
• Shaq is doing a TV show, playing other sports.  His baseball foe will be Albert Pujols.  Yes I will watch this.
• Maybe I need to dust off my Wii.  Or, maybe the Padres need to invest in a better strength and conditioning coach.
• I dig the new detnews.com iphone / mobile site.  But this might bury them if it comes to Detroit.
• Really like Kurt’s article yesterday;  Detroit has something other teams need (cheap pitching in Porcello, but also arbitration-controlled Verlander and Jackson) and other teams have what Detroit needs (minor league prospects / cheap talent).  Who wants to play match maker?
• For some reason, it feels like Miguel Cabrera is having a very quite season, even though he’s hitting .330 and clubbing a decent amount of home runs.  Is 2011 the year where he just blows up like Albert Pujols?